Our RV spot at the Elks Club in Forks is very nice…and very private, too. We’re the only ones here! No hook-ups, no neighbors, no noise, no pavement…no worries. Perfect!
JUNE 21 – JUNE 24, 2014. Home base for us while we’re in Forks is at the local Elks Lodge. That’s right…the Elks Lodge. Here’s the story: About a year ago just prior to beginning our Journey, I was having lunch with a friend and discussing how excited I was about our upcoming adventure. He asked me, “Have you joined the Elks Club?” Mr response was: “Here I am telling you about the biggest adventure of my entire life and you ask me about the Elks Club…what’s that all about?” He explained that there are Elks lodges all across the United States, and most have RV parks or at least RV parking for members. “Sounds good to me” I thought and within a few weeks I’d joined and become an Elk. I thought it would be silly…secret handshakes and such, but it turns out that there’s a lot to the organization in addition to free RV parking. Here’s the deal:
You didn’t know I was a member of the Elks Club, did you?
MOST ELKS LODGES PROVIDE RV SPACES. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE, also known as the Elks Lodge or simply the Elks) is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868. It is one of the leading orders in the U.S and claims about a million members. In my San Diego area Lodge alone we have about 1,500 members. Nationwide the Elks National Foundation has an endowment valued at more than $400 million and it has donated more than $250 million to charity, to date. Local and state Elks also contribute millions of dollars to charity every year. Special emphasis goes toward veterans and children’s charities. So, I’m glad I’ve become an Elk, for reasons in addition to having another resource for campsites as we travel across the country. So there you have it: Another tidbit of information about me you’d never know if you weren’t a fervent reader of my blog!
